PROGRAMS


 
Programs
National Congresses
Round Tables
Legislative/Public Policy Briefings
International Activities

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Information About Our Programs
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Awards
2007 Awards



  

National Congresses
RNRF conducts national congresses. These national meetings provide an interdisciplinary forum for representatives of RNRF's member organizations and others.

PRIOR NATIONAL CONGRESSES:

Congress on Environmental Science Issues Facing the U.S. Congress and Natural Resources Agencies (conducted at American Geophysical Union conference facility, Washington, D.C.) (2006). Sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and USDA Forest Service. For more information, visit the congress web site at http://www.rnrf.org/2006cong

Congress on Assessing and Mitigating Environmental Impacts of Emerging Contaminants (conducted at American Geophysical Union conference facility, Washington, D.C.) (2005). Sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey. Additional support provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit the congress web site at http://www.rnrf.org/2005cong

Building Capacity for Coastal Solutions (conducted at American Geophysical Union conference facility, Washington, D.C.) hosted by American Geophysical Union (2004). Sponsored by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, visit the congress web site at http://www.rnrf.org/2004cong

Federal Agency Personnel Trends, Budget Stringencies, Challenges to Higher Education, and Evolving Roles of Natural Resources Agencies (conducted at American Association for the Advancement of Science conference facility, Washington, D.C.) hosted by and conducted in association with the AAAS (2003). Sponsored by: U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and USDA Forest Service. For more information, visit the conference web site at http://www.rnrf.org/2003conf

Control of Nonpoint Source Water Pollution: Options and Opportunities (conducted at Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland) hosted by Department of Natural Resource Sciences and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland (2002). Sponsored by: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and USDA Forest Service. Additional support provided by: U.S. Geological Survey, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. For more information, visit the congress web site at http://www.rnrf.org/2002congress

Promoting Sustainability in the 21st Century (conducted at DoubleTree Hotel Janzen Beach, Portland, Oregon) Hosted by the College of Forestry, Oregon State University and the College of Forest Resources, University of Washington (2000). Themes: 1) Utilizing regional approaches to land allocation and use, and 2) Identifying evolving roles and educational needs of natural resources professionals). Sponsored by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Additional support provided by: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation. The congress report is available for purchase at the "Publications" link.

Human Population Growth: Impacts on the Sustainability of Renewable Natural Resources
(conducted at Marvin Center, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.) hosted by the GWU Institute for the Environment (1998). Sponsored by: USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. Geological Survey.
The congress report is available for purchase at the "Publications" link.

Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to the Sustainability of Renewable Natural Resources
(conducted at Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming) hosted by College of Natural Resources, Utah State University (1996). Sponsored by: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and USDA Forest Service. Additional support provided by: USDA Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The congress report is available for purchase at the "Publications" link.

Renewable Natural Resources: Critical Issues and Concepts for the Twenty-First Century
(conducted at Vail Westin, Colorado) hosted by College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University (1992), Sponsored by: USDA Forest Service, USDA Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additional support provided by USDA Agricultural Research Service, USDA Cooperative State Research Service, and USDA Extension Service.
The congress report is available for purchase at the "Publications" link.

Reports of all congresses are available for purchase at nominal cost. See our Publications web page for details.
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Washington Round Table on Public Policy
RNRF conducts periodic meetings of member-organization staff members to discuss public policy issues and to meet with professionals and scientists involved in the process. Guest speakers have included: Robert Donkers, Counselor, Delegation of the European Commission for the USA, European Union; David Berry and Toni M. Johnson, Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable; Marty Spitzer, Science Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; Patrick Leahy, Acting Director, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior; David Applegate, Director of Government Affairs and Editor, Geotimes, American Geological Institute; Mark Van Putten, President, National Wildlife Federation; Lester Brown, President, Earth Policy Institute; Jeffrey Zinn, Congressional Research Service; Edward O. Wilson, Pellegrino Research Professor, Harvard University, and author of The Future of Life; John R. McNeill, Professor of History, Georgetown University, and author of Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the 20th-century World; Peter Saundry, Executive Director, National Council for Science and the Environment; James A. Donofrio, Executive Director, Recreational Fishing Alliance, and Director, American League of Lobbyists; Henri R. Bisson, U.S. Bureau of Land Management; Mark Rey, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, U.S. Department of Agriculture; David van Hoogstraten and Brett Pomainville, Office of Policy Coordination and Initiatives, U.S. Department of State; and Dale Bosworth, Chief, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Legislative and Public Policy Briefings
RNRF conducts legislative and public policy briefings on natural resource issues. The briefings are designed for policy staff of RNRF member organizations, federal agency personnel, and congressional staff members.
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International Activities
RNRF conducts round tables and similar events featuring representatives from international organizations. RNRF is an accredited NGO with the Global Environment Facility.
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Awards

The Foundation has three annual awards to recognize outstanding achievements in the renewable resources fields. Two of the awards—established in 1992—were the first awards to honor interdisciplinary achievements with an emphasis on the application of sound scientific practices in managing and conserving renewable natural resources.

The Sustained Achievement Award recognizes a long-term contribution and commitment to the protection and conservation of natural resources by an individual.

The Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes a project, publication, piece of legislation, or similar concrete accomplishment that occurred during the three years prior to nomination for the award. (An individual cannot receive this award.)

RNRF's Excellence in Journalism Award, established in 2001, honors and encourages excellence in print journalism about natural resources. RNRF seeks to advance public education and understanding of important natural resource issues through the dissemination of accurate and scientifically-based information about the environment. The award recognizes work by an individual, group, or organization for print media (such as a book, on-line report, or article/feature in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or newsletter).

Sustained Achievement Award Recipients

1992 - Gilbert F. White, Boulder, Colorado
1993 - Marion Clawson, Washington, DC
1994 - E. William Anderson, Lake Oswego, Oregon
1995 - William E. Larson, St. Paul, Minnesota
1996 - William M. Lewis Jr., Boulder, Colorado
1997 - William B. Stapp, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1998 - Jane Lubchenco, Corvallis, Oregon
1999 - Jack Ward Thomas, Missoula, Montana
2000 - William J. Carroll, Pasadena, California
2001 - John Cairns Jr., Blacksburg, Virginia
2002 - Edward O. Wilson, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2003 - Michael P. Dombeck, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
2004 - L. Pete Heard, Madison, Mississippi
2005 - V. Phillip Rasmussen Jr., Logan, Utah
2006 - Heidi Margrit McAllister, Silver Spring, Maryland
2007 - Cecil Lue-Hing, Burr Ridge, Illinois

Outstanding Achievement Award Recipients

1992 - Water Resources Education Initiative (accepted by a consortium of nonprofits and federal agencies)
1993 - Illinois Rivers Project (accepted by Illinois River Project, Inc.)
1994 - Continental Conservation Plan (accepted by Ducks Unlimited)
1995 - Manatee Messages Educational Video (accepted by Save the Manatee Club)
1996 - Florida Marine Spill Analysis System (accepted by Florida Department of Environmental Protection)
1997 - Bruneau River Elk Management National Demonstration Area (accepted by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)
1998 - New Jersey Shore Cleanup Initiative (accepted by a public/private partnership)
1999 - Guest River Restoration Project (accepted by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service)
2000 - Snow Goose/Arctic Ecosystem Education Initiative (accepted by Ducks Unlimited)
2001 - Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices (accepted by NRCS on behalf of a consortium of federal agencies including ARS, CSREES, USFS, EPA, TVA, FEMA, NOAA/NMFS, USACE, HUD, BLM, BOR, FWS, NPS, USGS/BRD/WRD)
2002 - Natural Resources Leadership Course for Extension Agents (accepted by Cooperative Extension at Texas A&M University)
2003 - Seafood Lover's Almanac (accepted by National Audubon Society)
2004 - The State of the Nation's Ecosystems: Measuring the Lands, Waters, and Living Resources of the United States (accepted by The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment)
2005 - Life at the Water's Edge: A Shoreline Resident's Guide to Natural Lakeshore and Streamside Buffers for Water Quality Protection (accepted by Cooperative Extension at
Clemson University)
2006 -
Putting Communities in Charge: A Progress Report on an Educational Support System for Local Land Use Decision Makers (accepted by the Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program of Cooperative Extension at the University of Connecticut)
2007 - National Coastal Assessment (to be accepted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Gulf Ecology Division)

Excellence in Journalism Award Recipients

2001 - Bay Journal, Karl Blankenship, editor; Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, publisher
2002 - "Georgia's Disappearing Songbirds" by Charles Seabrook, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2003 - "Our Troubled Sound" by a team of reporters led by Robert McClure, Lisa Stiffler, and Lise Olsen, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
2004 - "Toxic Air: Lingering Health Menace" by Jim Bruggers, The Courier-Journal  (Louisville, Kentucky)
2005 - "Invaded Waters" by Tom Meersman, The Minneapolis Star Tribune
2006 - "Crude Awakening" by a team of reporters, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio)
2007 - "Platte River Odyssey" the magazine, produced by College of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Recipients of Chairman's Award for Professional Service to the Foundation

2001 - Albert A. Grant, Public Interest Member of RNRF Board of Directors, Potomac, Maryland
2002 - John S. Dickey Jr., American Geophysical Union, Washington, District of Columbia
2003 - John Marvin Jones II, JM Jones & Associates LLC, McLean, Virginia;
          Robert H. Metz, Linowes and Blocher LLP, Bethesda, Maryland; and
          Larry E. Walker, The Walker Group LLC, Bethesda, Maryland
2004 - A.F. Spilhaus Jr.,
American Geophysical Union, Washington, District of Columbia
2005 - Howard N. Rosen, Society of Wood Science and Technology & USDA Forest Service, Silver Spring, Maryland; and
          David L. Trauger, College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech, Falls Church, Virginia
2006 - Sarah Gerould, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry & U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia
2007 - Enos K. Fry, Provident Bank, Gaithersburg, Maryland


Call for 2008 Nominations
Outstanding and Sustained Achievement Awards

Selection Criteria

Winners of these awards will be selected based on how well they have: 1) Advanced the renewable natural resources sciences and public education; 2) Promoted the application of sound scientific practices in managing and conserving renewable natural resources; or 3) Fostered cooperation among professional, scientific, and education organizations in the renewable resources fields. Also, see additional criteria listed above.

Eligibility

Open to any individual or organization. Restrictions: Not eligible for nomination are RNRF member organizations, former and present RNRF board members, and awards jury members. However, individual members of RNRF member organizations are eligible. Only nominees alive at the time of jury deliberations will be considered for the Sustained Achievement Award.

Nominations

Nominations for these awards may be made by any individual or organization. To submit a nomination, please provide the following information: a) Your name, address, phone number, and affiliation. b) Full name of the nominee, present position, organizational affiliation, address, and telephone number. c) A 500-word clear, concise, and complete description of the achievement to be recognized and statement of how that work or individual satisfies the award criteria. d) Eight (8) copies of any supporting materials. May include curriculum vitae (Sustained Achievement Award) or any relevant reports, publications, or similar products.

Mail all documentation to: Awards Program, Renewable Natural Resources Foundation, 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814

Deadline for Nomination: June 2, 2008

The nomination form may be downloaded as a PDF file by clicking here.


Call for 2008 Nominations
Excellence in Journalism Award


Selection Criteria

Winners of this award will be selected based on how well they promote public understanding of important natural resources issues through accurate and scientifically-based information. Highly technical papers or proceedings should be nominated for RNRF's Outstanding Achievement Award. The work submitted must have been published during the 2007 calendar year.


Eligibility

Open to any individual, group (two or more collaborating individuals) or organization. Restrictions: Not eligible for nomination are RNRF member organizations, former and present RNRF board members, and awards jury members. However, individual members of RNRF member organizations are eligible..

Only print media will be considered for the award. This includes, for example, a book, on-line report, or an article/feature in a newspaper, magazine, journal or newsletter. The award does not recognize visual media such as films or videos.


Nominations

Nominations for these awards may be made by any individual or entity. Self nominations also will be accepted. To submit a nomination, please provide the following information: a) Your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and affiliation. b) Full name of the nominee, present position, organizational affiliation, address, and telephone number. c) A 250-word clear, concise, and complete description of the work being nominated including a statement of how that work meets the award criteria. d) Eight (8) copies of the work and any supporting materials.

Mail all documentation to: Awards Program, Renewable Natural Resources Foundation, 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814

Deadline for Nomination: June 2, 2008.

The nomination form may be downloaded as a PDF file by clicking here
.



Cecil Lue-Hing Receives 2007 RNRF Sustained Achievement Award

RNRF has selected Dr. Cecil Lue-Hing to receive its 2007 Sustained Achievement Award. The Sustained Achievement Award recognizes the long-term contributions and commitment of an individual to the protection and conservation of natural resources. Hue-Ling has spent the last 50 years demonstrating a commitment to the protection of public health and welfare through the competent and ethical practice of engineering. He has made major contributions that have substantially advanced wastewater treatment technology.

Lue-Hing was the director for research and development at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago from 1971-1999. He currently is president of Cecil Lue-Hing & Associates, Inc. Lue-Hing is an invited lecturer at 25 universities and an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He is an accomplished author, who has published numerous industry-recognized books and reference materials and has contributed more than 30 chapters to various other publications.
 
Among Lue-Hing's accomplishments are being elected to the National Academy of Engineering for which he was cited for contributions to water pollution control engineering and "particularly biosolids management." Lue-Hing's research has been recognized by the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, and International Association on Water Quality. His research has lead to two U.S. patents, "Method and Apparatus for Measuring Cyanide" and "An In-Line Distillation System for Separating Volatile Components Entrained in Liquid." The research facility at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago was recently renamed the Dr. Cecil Lue-Hing Research and Development Complex.

The award was presented at the annual meeting of the RNRF Board of Directors on November 9, 2007, in Potomac, Maryland.



"National Coastal Assessment"Prepared by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Receives 2007 RNRF Outstanding Achievement Award


RNRF has selected the National Coastal Assessment (National Coastal Condition Report III Draft), produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to receive its 2007 Outstanding Achievement Award. The award was established in 1992 and recognizes outstanding interdisciplinary achievements in the renewable natural resources fields. 

The National Coastal Assessment fulfills a requirement of the Clean Water Act to report on the condition of the nation's waters. Therefore, the National Coastal Assessment Team developed ecological indicators and procedures to assess the condition of the nation's coastal resources. While the National Coastal Assessment focused nationally on the condition of coastal waters and changes over time, the monitoring data were summarized at state and regional scales for reporting and management uses at these scales.

The National Coastal Assessment has been comprised of three Coastal Condition Reports. The first report was published in 2001, and reported on about 70% of the nation's estuarine resources. The second report, published in 2005, presented data of 100% of the estuarine acreage in the conterminous states and Puerto Rico. Both reports described the nation's estuaries, in the aggregate, as being in fair condition

The third Coastal Condition Report is a comprehensive account of the condition of U.S. coastal waters and fisheries, developed collaboratively by the U.S. EPA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The third report (http://www.rnrf.org/nccr3.pdf) will be officially published early in 2008. It is the first complete assessment of the ecological condition of the nation's estuaries.

The award was presented at the annual meeting of the RNRF Board of Directors on November 9, 2007, in Potomac, Maryland.




"Platte River Odyssey" Produced by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Receives RNRF's 2007 Excellence in Journalism Award

RNRF has selected the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's "Platte River Odyssey" to receive its 2007 Excellence in Journalism Award. The award honors and encourages excellence in print journalism about natural resources issues through the dissemination of accurate and scientifically-based information about the environment. The 55-page, full-color magazine reported on various water issues in the Platte River basin. Competing claims on the water – from irrigating farmers, power companies, endangered species and cities – comprise the backdrop for this timely project and echo similar conflicts throughout the American West.
 
The magazine resulted from a unique collaboration among faculty and students of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, and professional journalists. In 2005, the college began to collaborate with the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper in a project called the "Platte River Odyssey." The series educated the newspaper's readers about the complex interplay of law, history, science, and politics that affects the Platte and the people and wildlife depending upon it.

Journal Star reporters wrote about policy issues related to water in the Platte basins, and students majoring in science or journalism and enrolled in the college's science writing class, wrote the science-based stories. Between March 2005 and March 2006, the newspaper published more than 20 stories on water issues related to the Platte. In early 2006, students and faculty brought the original stories up to date and added more stories, leading to the publication of “Platte River Odyssey,” the magazine. The magazine is a resource that explains the complex forces influencing public policy governing water use in the basin.  
   
The award was presented at the annual meeting of the RNRF Board of Directors on November 9, 2007, in Potomac, Maryland.



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